Empty Nights
by alicesdreams
Summary: Beckett and Castle find their minds wandering...again.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: First story. I would love suggestions. **

**ABC owns Castle**

Kate Beckett sat alone on her desk at the precinct. Staring at the murder board the only sound in the building was the ticking of her fathers watch. Minutes ticked by and still she sat there, carved out of stone. Her eyes were no longer focused on the board but on something far away that only she could see. Her eyes flicked over to the space next to her desk where for years, a chair had sat. But tonight she had moved it away because now it held to many memories. Returning her gaze to the board she pulled something out of her pocket without noticing. Kate ran her fingers over the cold, hard, ridges, mountains, and valleys. She pressed the metal into her palm feeling it cut into her soft skin. She toyed with the key he had given her the way same way she toyed with an idea in her mind. She could envision the hallway outside his apartment perfectly, complete with her standing in front of his door like she had already done so many times this summer. But she already knew he wouldn't answer if she knocked, but still she toyed with the idea of letting herself in, sliding into his chair, letting the scent of him wash over her. But she also knew that that wouldn't help her solve this case. She scolded herself for even thinking about it and slid the key back into her pocket. The minutes kept ticking by, time slipping away from her. Her gaze wandered from the board again, this time to the phone resting on her desk. She knew that he was just a phone call away, she could hear his velvet voice in her head, calm but with a hint of concern at her late night call. That's why she had turned off her phone hours ago. She stood up to get herself a cup of coffee to clear her head. Not from his deluxe machine but from hers. Kate reminded herself that she didn't need his help to solve this case. She had solved hundreds before he came and she would solve hundreds more long after he was gone. No she didn't need him, but she sure as hell wanted him.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry this took soo long to get posted. I wasn't sure about writing more chapters originally. I hope you guys enjoy. I promise the next chapter will be up much quicker and will be more exciting.**

**Sadly, Castle isn't mine.**

**Please read/review!**

Richard Castle, writer extraordinaire, author of 26 best sellers, was totally stumped.

He knew what he wanted to do with the story, he thought he knew what he wanted to do with the characters, and he thought he knew how he wanted to write it. He had just run out inspiration.

He just couldn't work out here, alone. After all, he did his best work late at night, after wrapping a hard case with Beckett and the boys.

Beckett. He sighed heavily.

As much as he didn't like to admit, she was the key to writing Nikki Heat. His inspiration. His muse. Whatever the tabloids wanted to call it.

He stared out of the big plate glass windows in his office at the sand dunes, the long grass on top swaying back and forth in the wind, and beyond to the churning gray water of the Atlantic. It all looked so empty. So alone. Just like him, and he wondered if Nikki Heat ever felt this alone.

He chuckled softly to himself, his laughter this only sound in the big empty beach house. Of course Nikki Heat felt this alone. He was her writer after all, her creator, he knew better than anyone how she felt. The question he really meant to ask was did Kate Beckett ever feel this alone?

He supposed she did. Late at night perhaps, lying in bed when she couldn't fall asleep. Maybe when she was the last one left at the precinct, just her and the murder board. He wondered what she thought about at these times. Whether she thought about him. He hoped so.

He silently told his mind to shut up. "She doesn't like you Rick! You know that." And he did. She made it very clear how she felt about him.

It was nearly pitch black outside now, no moon but just a few twinkling stars, so far above him. The only light came from his computer screen, turning his face a ghostly blue. Shadows danced on the walls of his office, like ghosts in the night. Haunting him. Making him feel more alone than ever. If he was back at home right now he could always drive down to the precinct. See if Beckett was still there, stuck on some case. Just something to make sure he wasn't the last one awake.

God he missed her.

He almost had forgotten why he left at all. But it came back to him. Watching her and Demming kiss. Thinking, "How much longer can I take this?"

That's why he'd left.

But now he would do anything to go back. To see her just once this summer.

"Well," he thought. "Why couldn't I?"


End file.
